Latest news with #MPAJ
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
MPAJ's Highland Towers demolition bid stalls in lower court
AMPANG, July 30 — The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) must now apply to the High Court for order to demolish the remaining Highland Towers blocks in Hulu Kelang, after its latest attempt was rejected by the Magistrate's Court. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the High Court's permission is now required since the landowner, Highland Properties Sdn Bhd, has been wound up. He added that the Magistrate's Court directed MPAJ to escalate the matter to the High Court for further decision, The Star reported. MPAJ began pursuing demolition plans last year in response to repeated complaints from nearby residents over safety and nuisance concerns. Then-MPAJ president Dr Ani Ahmad had said notices would be served to the property owners as part of the legal process. She also said the demolition would follow Sections 87, 88, and 89 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, which address public nuisances and unsafe structures. The cost of tearing down the derelict buildings was then estimated at RM6 million to RM7 million. The Highland Towers tragedy occurred on December 11, 1993, when one of three apartment blocks collapsed, killing 48 people and prompting the evacuation of the remaining towers.
The Star
17 hours ago
- General
- The Star
MPAJ seeking High Court ruling on Highland Towers
MPAJ is seeking legal recourse to demolish the two remaining blocks at Highland Towers in Hulu Kelang, Selangor. The blocks have been abandoned following the Dec 11, 1993, tragedy which killed 48 people. — Filepic AMPANG Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) will seek a High Court order to proceed with the demolition of the remaining blocks of Highland Towers in Hulu Kelang, Selangor. This comes after MPAJ failed in its latest bid to obtain court approval from the Ampang Magistrate's Court to bring down the structures. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the next course of action would be to bring the matter to the High Court for a ruling. 'We will need to get leave from the High Court to decide if MPAJ is allowed to carry out the demolition. 'The Magistrate's Court directed MPAJ to seek an order from the High Court as Highland Properties Sdn Bhd (the landowner) has been wound up,' Hasrolnizam said after chairing the local council's monthly full board meeting at Menara MPAJ in Pandan Indah yesterday. Last year, MPAJ initiated the process to demolish the remaining blocks, following multiple complaints from neighbouring residents. Then president Dr Ani Ahmad had said MPAJ would issue a notice to the property owners to demolish the structures. She had also said due process would be carried out according to Sections 87, 88 and 89 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133). These relate to nuisances (Sections 87 and 88) and demolition of a house unfit for habitation (Section 89). At the time, she said the demolition was estimated to cost between RM6mil and RM7mil. The Highland Towers tragedy occurred on Dec 11, 1993, when one of the three blocks collapsed, resulting in 48 fatalities. The remaining towers were evacuated for safety reasons, leading to the area's eventual abandonment. On another matter, Hasrolnizam said MPAJ supported Selangor's centralised parking initiative, citing its potential to streamline operations and boost revenue. 'Although MPAJ is not one of the four initial councils targeted for the first phase, there have been discussions. 'So far, we do not have any major concerns,' he said, adding that the municipal council currently collected about RM600,000 in monthly parking fees. The Selangor Intelligent Parking (SIP) system is a state-led initiative to digitalise and centralise public parking. It is spearheaded by Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) Selangor and implemented through a company in collaboration with local councils. Under the SIP model, parking revenue will be split with 50% going to the concessionaire, 40% to the local councils involved and 10% to MBI. SIP is meant to kick off with Petaling Jaya City Council, Shah Alam City Council, Subang Jaya City Council and Selayang Municipal Council. Hasrolnizam said between January and July 24, MPAJ collected RM5.1mil in parking revenue. The main contributors were special bay rentals (RM2.5mil) and online payments (RM2.3mil), followed by monthly passes (RM144,000) and resident passes (RM193,000). During the meeting, Hasrolnizam also reported on MPAJ's efforts to recover assessment tax arrears from property owners as part of a pilot project launched in June last year. The initiative targeted 57 account holders with a total debt of RM109,462. 'As of July 2025, MPAJ successfully recovered RM75,728, achieving a 69.2% recovery rate.'
The Star
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Traffic enforcement blitz in Ampang Jaya
AMPANG Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) issued nearly 4,000 parking-related compounds to errant motorists during a large-scale enforcement operation that took place in several commercial areas. The three-day operation, dubbed 'Ops Terjah Parking', was carried out from July 15 to 17 in Taman Muda, Taman Perindustrian Pandan Indah and Pandan Jaya. In addition to 3,930 compounds, five notices were issued and two vehicles were seized. 'The main offences identified during the operation included failure to pay parking fees and placing vehicles outside designated parking bays. 'Enforcement was carried out under the Road Transport Order (Provision of Parking Spaces) (MPAJ) 2007,' the municipal council said in a statement. The operation involved issuing compounds to vehicle owners who failed to pay parking fees and offering on-site compound payment services. The stronger enforcement drew support from some who said similar operations should be carried out more often in other busy commercial areas. A frequent visitor to Bandar Baru Ampang, Jenny Selvam said the double-parking situation had gotten out of control. 'There are usually parking bays available but some people choose to double park for convenience. This creates unnecessary congestion for others. 'I hope MPAJ will step up enforcement and carry out regular checks,' she said. A check by StarMetro at the Pandan Perdana, Pandan Indah and Ampang Point commercial areas showed a similar need for enforcement. Motorists double-parked or parked along main roads that are not designated for parking. In Pandan Indah, double-parked vehicles interrupted traffic flow, causing congestion. MPAJ, in the same media statement, said the operation would be continued in all gazetted parking areas under its jurisdiction. 'The public is advised to pay parking fees and park within designated bays to avoid obstructing traffic.' Compounds issued must be settled to avoid further action, the local council added. In May, MPAJ towed 29 vehicles during another operation in the Ampang Point area. It also issued 41 compounds to vehicle owners who had parked in back lanes or blocked key access points.
The Star
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
200 volunteers join forces for Ampang Jaya clean-up
ARMED with litter pickers, gloves and rubbish bags, about 200 volunteers joined forces in a community clean-up event aimed at promoting recycling and reducing dengue risks within the Ampang Jaya municipality. The 'Plogging Kitar Semula, Bebas Denggi' event saw participants walking and picking up rubbish along a 2km route around a local field. The event was jointly organised by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) and Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to encourage civic responsibility and to address the mounting waste problem in the municipality. 'On average, each person generates between 2kg and 2.5kg of rubbish daily. 'With a population of around 700,000 people across 180,000 houses and shops, that adds up to over 300 tonnes of waste per day,' Hasrolnizam said. He added that MPAJ allocated RM50mil annually for waste management, including collection and disposal services. 'However, waste management is not just the responsibility of the local council,' he said. 'It requires collective effort. Through community programmes like plogging and recycling initiatives such as Trash to Cash, we hope to instil long-term behavioural change.' The event also underscored the link between rubbish and public health. 'Improperly discarded waste can become breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, which spread dengue fever,' he said. 'In the first five months of this year alone, Ampang Jaya recorded over 610 dengue cases.' However, he noted that ongoing preventive efforts such as community clean-ups were showing results, with a 40% reduction in dengue cases recorded this year compared to the same period last year. Also present at the event were MPAJ Urban Services and Health Department director Khairilazhar Ismail, Teratai assemblyman Yew Jia Haur and MPAJ councillor Wong Keng Chin. By the end of the programme, about 250kg of rubbish was collected by volunteers, with 202.5kg consisting of recyclable materials.
The Star
14-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Ampang fishing challenge reels in 500 participants
Participants fishing during the Ampang Jaya Rod Challenge 2025 at Pandan Perdana Lake, Ampang.- Ampang Jaya Municipal Council's (MPAJ) The Ampang Jaya Rod Challenge 2025, held at Pandan Perdana Lake, attracted about 500 anglers. First held in 2023, the event returned this year as part of the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council's (MPAJ) effort to promote the lake as an ecotourism attraction. It was organised by MPAJ with the MPAJ Zone 21 Residents Committee and Airfour Classic, with support from Tourism Malaysia. Yew (second from right) and Hasrolnizam holding the heaviest catch of 4.66kg 'ikan patin' by Muhammad Abdullah (left). With them are MPAJ council members. MPAJ said it served as a platform to bring the community together and would now be held annually. The programme was part of Visit Selangor 2025 and Visit Malaysia 2026 campaigns. The fishing competition ran from 8.30am to noon. In the heaviest catch category, Muhammad Abdullah Selamat from Beranang, Selangor, landed a 4.66kg ikan patin (a species of catfish) and won the RM4,000 grand prize. In second place was Mohd Ariffin Ahmad with a 2.865kg ikan patin, winning RM1,000. Participants fishing during the Ampang Jaya Rod Challenge 2025 at Pandan Perdana Lake, Ampang. — Courtesy photos(Left) The fishing competition serves as a platform to bring the community together. Ahmad Alakhiri Ayob came in third with a 1.865kg ikan keli (catfish), taking home RM700. Cash prizes of RM70 were awarded to participants who placed fourth to the 70th spot. Among the other species of fishes caught during the competition were lekoh (carp), baung (another species of catfish), tilapia, peacock bass and lampam (tinfoil barb). Teratai assemblyman Yew Jia Haur handed out the prizes. Also present were MPAJ deputy president and programme secretary Hasrolnizam Shaari. A lucky draw was also held for participants, featuring fishing equipment sponsored by Ryoko.
